Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals are holding on to a steady lead in popular support, a new poll suggests, but remain in minority government territory ahead of an election that could come as early as this spring.

The Progressive Conservatives, meanwhile, are duking it out with the New Democrats for second place as the Ontario Premier bests both the PCs’ Tim Hudak and the NDP’s Andrea Horwath in public perceptions of her leadership.

Out of 500 Ontarians surveyed by Nanos Research, 36 per cent are prepared to vote Liberal, compared to 28 per cent support for the Tories and 27 for the NDP. These numbers represent a change of less than a percentage point for the Liberals since September, while Mr. Hudak’s party is down by three points in the same period and Ms. Horwath’s is up by one.

“The longer Wynne is the Premier, the more she looks like a Premier – and we haven’t seen any major gaffes out of her adminstration,” Nanos Research chairman Nik Nanos said in an interview. “The Liberals have been relatively united behind her.”

Mr. Hudak, meanwhile, has spent a lot of time fighting divisions in his party, including a spat over controversial right-to-work policies that led to the firing of a candidate last week. And now, he must battle Ms. Horwath to hold on to his place as principal opposition leader.

“For the Conservatives, it’s very important for them to be positioned as the main challengers to the Liberals – to have numbers in the same range as the NDP is not ideal,” Mr. Nanos said. “It’s harder for a movement to unseat a government, to have momentum, when it’s not clear which opposition party is the main challenger.”

Such numbers may explain why the Tories have stepped up their attacks on the NDP in recent days, Mr. Nanos said. A PC radio ad released earlier this week in Niagara Falls, where a by-election campaign is underway, attacks the NDP while making scant mention of the Grits.

But the pollster cautioned the Liberals shouldn’t get too comfortable: pulling these numbers in an election would still leave them with a minority of seats in the legislature.

Ms. Wynne is thumping her rivals in personal popularity, however: survey respondents ranked her at the top when asked which party leader is most competent and trustworthy, and has the best vision for the province. Her score is 71 out of 100 on Nanos’s leadership index, with Ms. Horwath at 55 and Mr. Hudak at 49.

Mr. Nanos attributed Ms. Wynne’s score to the visibility of being Premier – she was front-and-centre during last month’s ice storm, and has also attracted attention for her plan to create a new provincial pension system.

Of concern for Mr. Hudak, Mr. Nanos said, is how poorly he continues to poll among women. When asked which party leader had the best vision, for instance, 25 per cent of men picked the Tory leader, compared to just 13 per cent of women.

“Two of the three party leaders in Ontario are women … both with fairly good brands in the public domain,” Mr. Nanos said. “It kind of squeezes Tim Hudak as the odd man out.”

The news isn’t all bad for the Tories, however. The poll also suggests the economy – the main issue on which Mr. Hudak will campaign in the next election – is at the top of voters’ minds, with 17 per cent of respondents picking it as the province’s most important issue. That put it second only to health care, a perrenniel favourite, which sits at 19 per cent.

If Mr. Hudak can convince the public he is a good economic manager, it will bode well for his chances, Mr. Nanos said. The Liberals, conversely, must have a “bulletproof narrative” to explain to voters why the economy has continued to falter, he said.

With the Liberals holding only a minority of seats in the legislature, they must secure the support of at least one other party to pass a budget this spring. If the PCs and New Democrats both vote against them, it will trigger an early vote.

The poll, which consisted of live telephone interviews conducted from Jan. 17-20, is considered accurate to plus or minus 4.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

I support less gubmint and more individual liberty and Hudak is just Liberal light.

mentalfloss

#8

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by Walter

I support less gubmint and more individual liberty and Hudak is just Liberal light.

So you support the Liberal action to remove senate staff.

Never knew you were such a big fan of Shiny Pony.

BornRuff

+2

#9 Top Rated Post

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by Walter

Hudak leads the Conservative party but he is not a conservative.

Quote: Originally Posted by Walter

I support less gubmint and more individual liberty and Hudak is just Liberal light.

Hudak is as conservative as a Conservative is going to get. He is a disciple of Mike Harris. He hits all the Conservative happy spots. Crush unions, reduce bureaucracy, lower taxes.

What you seem to want is a Libertarian, but that is not what the Conservatives claim to be.

Walter

#10

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by mentalfloss

So you support the Liberal action to remove senate staff.

Never knew you were such a big fan of Shiny Pony.

What is the Lib policy? When was the last Lib gubmint that reduced he size of gubmint?

pgs

Free Thinker

+2

#11

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by Walter

What is the Lib policy?

How would Born ruff know ? Trudeau doesn't even know yet . He is still polling the electorate to see were the traction might be .

Walter

#12

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by BornRuff

Hudak is as conservative as a Conservative is going to get. He is a disciple of Mike Harris. He hits all the Conservative happy spots. Crush unions, reduce bureaucracy, lower taxes.

What you seem to want is a Libertarian, but that is not what the Conservatives claim to be.

Bull crap. Hudak is no disciple of Harris. You must be all of 20 years old to think that?

mentalfloss

+1

#13

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by Walter

What is the Lib policy? When was the last Lib gubmint that reduced he size of gubmint?

Senate is part of gubmint.

Leeberals get rid of Leeberal senators.

Comprende now?

Walter

#14

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by mentalfloss

Senate is part of gubmint.

Leeberals get rid of Leeberal senators.

Comprende now?

They're still there, Einstein.

BornRuff

#15

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by Walter

Bull crap. Hudak is no disciple of Harris. You must be all of 20 years old to think that?

He hits all the same point. A number of his policies are actually direct carryovers from Harris's time.

Why don't you give me an example of how they are not similar?

Quote: Originally Posted by pgs

How would Born ruff know ? Trudeau doesn't even know yet . He is still polling the electorate to see were the traction might be .

Lol, why me? The question wasn't even directed at me? Nor was it about federal politics.

Are you sure you are feeling ok?

mentalfloss

+1

#16

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by Walter

They're still there, Einstein.

As independents.

Which basically means they won't be there for long.

lone wolf

Free Thinker

+1

#17

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

I recall a Harris financial plan too. Now we have lousy winter roads, crazy hydro rates and income from toll roads going to foreign companies. Hudak? He's just the Harris clone who couldn't make it to Ottawa.

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

What is the Lib policy? When was the last Lib gubmint that reduced he size of gubmint?

Was that the one before the Cons increased it ??
Cuz, they have.

Walter

#22

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

Quote: Originally Posted by Nuggler

Was that the one before the Cons increased it ??
Cuz, they have.

Sad isn't it? Anything but conservative.

Nuggler

+1

#23

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Jan 30th, 2014

""Early political career[edit(external - login to view)]

Hudak ran in the provincial election of 1995(external - login to view) in the riding(external - login to view) of Niagara South(external - login to view). He defeated Liberal(external - login to view) Aubrey Foley by 1,081 votes.[5](external - login to view) At the age of 27 Hudak was the second-youngest Member of Provincial Parliament(external - login to view) (MPP) elected in 1995, the youngest being John Baird(external - login to view).[6](external - login to view) The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government under Mike Harris(external - login to view), and Hudak was appointed Parliamentary Assistant(external - login to view) to Minister of Health Jim Wilson(external - login to view). He later served as Parliamentary Assistant to Wilson's successor, Elizabeth Witmer(external - login to view).[7](external - login to view) During this term the government closed 28 hospitals and fired more than 6,000 nurses

Hoodat and Harris got rid of a lot of hula hoops (Harris word for nurse), cut back on oversight and gave us Walkerton.

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Re: Ontarians back Wynne, not buying Hudak's fiscal plan

Feb 4th, 2014

I think the people of Ontario are prepared to give her more time in office
at least from what I hear. The other problem is the Tories are less popular
Federally also and if the Liberals win big Provincially it could spell serious
trouble for minority bound or outright loss for Harper in 2015 .